The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-23
DEBATE ON THE TORY COERCIVE
PROPOSITION.
The Ministry Will Appeal to the
Country If Defeated.
Ioha Msrisy's Speech on His Amendment BAT
four and ssm'th's Replies -GiadsionIars
Apparently Ready to Split From the
Parneiiites.


House of Commons has been sitting all
night and is still in session. The Gov
ernment have been trying to dispose of
the Naval and Civil Service bills, but the
Home Rule members, by obstruction.
have prevented any action being taken.
Two hundre.l and sixty members were
present
Sa. n.-The House is still in Commit
tee of Supply. Mr. Raikes. Postmaster
General, relieved Mr.. Courtney, Chair
man of the Committee in the chair, dur
ing the discussion of the Civil Service
vote, because the proceedings were
farcical. Mr.. Tanner, member for Cork,
informed the Chair that fresh batch of
eloquent Parnellites would arrive on the
. a. IN. train to reinforce the Opposition
vote. There is no likelihood that the
House viii rise before midday, as Mr..
Smith. the Government leader. declared
that the Civil Service bill must be passed
before an adjournment takes place.
LATER-The House of Commons adj
Journed at % o'clock this afternoon
Before rising, the House passed the
Civil Service Bill
THE GOVERNMENT LEADER OPENS.
Mr.. Henry Smith, the Government
leader, arose amid cheers in the House of
Commons, this evening. and moved that
the bill for the amendmt mt of the Grim
inai law in Ireland have precedence over
all orders of the day. He said Ireland
was in state of desorganization and the
Government was bound To act under a
sense of public duty, particularly when
IT found justice in that country intimi-
dated and notorious criminals, whose
deeds were inimical to the existence of
society, getting off scot free. Mr.. Smith
said he would refrain from stating the
details of the measure, leaving that to
the Chief Secretary for Ireland What
he now urged was that the
measure was absolutely necessary,
for the security and happiness
of the law-abiding population of Ireland.
Referring to the proposed amendment
offered last night by John Morley reject
ing the declaration of urgency for the
Government bill, Mr.. Smith reminded the
House how Gladstone resisted the adop-
ton of similar amendment in 1881.
The position of the Go~ernment now
was the same as that of GladstOne's Gov
ernment then. Regarding their ameli-
orative policy towards Ireland the
speaker said the Governments Land bill
would be- divided into two parts One
of these would be introduced imnedi-
ateiy. The other would be a Land Pur-
ciase bill of wide scope. Both measures
would be found to be framed ON princi-
pies of honesty and justice The
speaker, however, thought the Gov
ernmeut could not hope that any
measure framed ON these lines
would satisfy the Irish National League.
which, he said, was the successor of the
Land League, and was the cause of all
the disorganization and terrorism per-
vading Ireland. Mr.. Smith said he
hoped the House would speedily adopt
the Governments measures. Ii the
House did not adopt them the Govern
ment would he compelled to ask the,
opinion of the country. to either confirm
their policy or relieve them of the re-
sponsibilities of Government (cheersl.
IRELAND NOT LAwI.ESS
John Morley, moving the rejection of
the motion for urgency, denied absolute
ly MIR. Smiths assertion rs To the lawless
condition of Ireland. and demanded that
the Government give comparative statis-
ties of crime in Ireland. which, he said.
would show that beyond certain very
narrow area the country had seldom
been quieter. The Governments pro-
posed restrictive legislation would only
aggravate such evils as existed. and
would weaken and spoil whatever RENE
dies they had in store. Land Commits
sioners had declared that the secret
cause of the combination among the
people was the inability of tenants to-
pay excessive rents. IL had been shown
that Irish landlords combine habits of
extravaganza in emulation of the richer
landlords in England. with a system of
rack rent. No matter how hard tenants
might strive To meet their rents this
wretched landlord system crushed them.
The coercin proposals of the Govern
ment appeared To be based upon the idea
that the people of Ireland were in,loIent
and dishonest. But those who knew
them had different conception of their
character; they believed them to be
honest, hard working and truthful He
could only regard the bill rs a measure
designed To enable landlords To exact
exorbitant rents, throwing the law on
the side of the rich. removing all coer-
Give or protective power which tenants
derived from combining. and putting
the coercion upon the unfortunate ten
ants. He was less anxious 10 secure rents
for some hard landlords than to secure
Just treatment for those good and hon
est working people. Cheers Some
landlords practiced ''plan Of cam
paign' of their own, more immoral and
more deserving eff being called swindle
than was the plan of the tenants. Some
landlord agents attempted to coerce ten
ants into buying under the Ashburn act.
debating the terms q purchase and
threatening To evict unless the tenant
consented. yet the Government demand
ed urgency for bill giving such
men the power To force tenants to
pay an unreasonable rent or Ia
purchase at an unreasonable price.
Behind this bill lay another proposal
-. n. q